Car truck



NOV. 3, 1931. HAMlLToN 1,830,512

CAR TRUCK Filed Nov. 27, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 3, 1931. K. M. HAMILTON CAR TRUCK Filed Nov. 2'7, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet Patented Nov. 3, 1931 PAT KARL M. HAMILTON, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB :0 THE niar'rnnnonr com- IPANY, OF BETTEN'DORJT, IOWA, A CORPORATION OF IOVIA can TRUCK Application filed November 27, 1929. Serial No. 410,054.

My invention relatesto improvements'on car trucks, and more particularly to car trucks of the swing motion type.

An object of my invention is to provide an efficient, strong and durable swing motion truck wherein the spring plankconsists of a castingsupported from the transom by swing links to provide for lateral or side motion,ja'nd having spring seats and spring plank bearings formed at its ends.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved spring plank, with which is combined the spring seats and spring plank bearings in one single unit capable of being cast as a single piece, thereby eliminating the handling and assembling of numerous parts and reducing the cost of manufacture.

Another object is to provide, in a structure as above indicated, simple means for adjusting the height of the springs'which support the bolster to compensate for set 'in the springs or for variations that may occur in manufacture. g

Other objects of my invention will appear hereinafter. f

, In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a portion of a truck embodying my invention, the guide col umns of the side frame being shown in section and the bolsterbeing partly broken away to show the parts beneath j Fig- 2 is. a transverse vertical section approximately on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan of the spring plank casting showing a s ring seat and spring plank bearing forme at the end thereof;

Fig. 4 is a vvertical section on the line 4 -4 of Fig.3;. 7, 7

' Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the spring plank structure shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective of an adjustment shim.

I have not deemed it necessary to illustrate in the drawings a complete truck, since the parts shown clearly illustrate the invention. It is understood that the other side of the truckis similar to that shown in the drawings.

frame. The transomcasting is indicated generally at B, the bolster at'C, the elliptic springs at D, and the spring plank casting at E.

sitioned with respect to the journal'ends of the side frame and spaced apart to'form, in conjunction with the upper and lower arch bars, a substantially rectangular window openingwithin which the end of thetransom B is positioned.

The transom casting B comprises 'two substantially horizontally disposed channeled beams 1212,which eXtend'from side frame to side frame of the truck. These'beams are spaced apart and are substantially parallel at their end portions and diverge from these end portions to the central line of the structure. The end sections of thetransom which fit within the openings in the side frames are integrally formed at the ends of the beams. 7

They comprise the top cross connecting members 14, bottom cross'connecting members 15, and the two upright side members 16, all

integrally formed at the ends of the beams. The bottom members '15 rest directly upon the upper surfaces 17 of the lower arch bars, and have, Fig. 2, hollow bosses 18 which extend down between theflanges of the lower arch bars to interlock the side frames and transom against displacement.

The relative height of the window openings in'the side frames, and the rectangular end sections of the transom, is such that the end sections can be inserted into the window openings and then dropped down to interlock the bosses 18 with the lower arch bars. At the end portions offthe transom beams'where they join the end sections, shoulders 19 are provided which bear against the inner edges of the guide columns 13 to prevent tilting *of the side frames;

The bolster C' may be of any suitable type for use in connection with lateral motion trucks. It is provided with the usual center plate 20 and side bearing seats 21 on its top ENT? OFFI E" Q side of the springs to straddle the springs and prevent relativedisplacement of the springs and bolster. The lugson each side of the bolster are spaced apart forming recesses 23 to accommodate the spring bands 24 whichbind the leaves of the springstogether. V V p The spring plankE extends transversely of the truck beneath the-transom and bolster,

and is suspended at its ends from the. tran som through the medium :of the parallel suspension links 25. A pair of these links are provided at eachend of the structure and thelinks of eachpair are disposed at the sides-of the spring plank. The-upper ends f of the links pass upwardlythrough suitable slots or openings 26 in. the transom beams and are pivotally' connected to the transom beams by thepivot pins 27 resting in suitable bearings formed in the transom beams. The lower ends of the links oiieach pair carry a key member 28 which supports the end of the spring plank E.

' The spring, plank E, in the presentstructure, ismade in the form of-an integral casting of channel construction and having a hat body portion 30 with integral, upstanding flanges 31-along itsedges andextending from end to end. The endportions of the side flanges are widened to iorinend members 321between which the spring seats 33 are formed. The end members132- have instanding lugs 34 spaced apart tOfOllll recesses 35 which: accommodate, the-spring bands 36 and which serve as an interlocking connection between the springs and sp'ring seats to prevent relative displacement of these parts. The spring seat is positioned above the flat body portion 30 a suitable distance for the purpose, and an integral trans verse rib 37 is formed between the body portion 30 and the spring seat to strengthen the structure and support the springseat. In tegral intermediate ribs38 are also provided between the spring seat and the? plank portion to further strengthen the structure.

Sprmgplank bearings are positioned below the bodyportion .and are integrally formed at the lowerends of the end members 32. In the present structure, these bearings are formedas-inverted U-shaped member-s39.

having bearing recessesAO axially disposed transversely of the length of the body portion and resting upon the keys 28'. Transverse vertical ribs 41, alignedwith the ribs 37, are formed between the body portion 30 of the bearing member 39. Integral intermediate ribs 42am also provided between the under side of the body portion and the bearing members 39 and are preferably vertically aligned with the corresponding interme diate ribs 38. The ends 39' of the bearing members extend beyond the end members 32 to conform to, the space between-the suspension l'inks, and these. extended "portions 39 are braced by integral diagonal ribs 43. The spring seats, spring plank bearings and the spring plank are all formed integrallyas asingle-casting, whiclrisstrong and substantial, capable of withstanding all of the strains to which a structure of this character lssub ected, and capable of being manufactured as a unit. This unitary construction eliminates the handling and-assembling of a number of 1nd ividua-l pieces andthe; danger of these individual pieces becoming; accidentallydisplaced andlostn V I,

It is desirable that the height .of-the springs be capable of adjustment to compensate ior set ofthe springs or variations-in themanufacture of. the parts.= This .adjustment. is provided for by the' simple expedientof shims positioned between the-spring seats and the springs.-; The shims may be in the form of flat-plates 45013- the required thiek- Vness, such. as illustrated in Figs-stand 6. They can be positioned betweensthe lower spring. bands 36 and the springseats. They. are made longenough to extend ,fromsule. to side with their ends in the-recesses 35,..so

that they will be held against, displacement by the-,lugs34.

-'I amaware thjatchanges inthe: coustrucmade without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I hereby reserve the right tomake such changes asrfairly; fallwithin the scope of the appended claims Iclaim: V

1. In a cartruck, the combination ,of a side frame, a-transom supported thereby, a bolster, aspring plank. means suspending the spring plank from said transom, alzsprmgbetween the bolster and springplank,v a. seat forsaid' spring formed integrally with said spring plank, a bearing member positioned E'below said spring. plankand bear ng upon saadisus- P81151011 means,-and integral means connectspring seat members on :itsupper sideadja- :tion a-nd'arrangement either parts may be cent its ends, bearing members below its under side, and integral reinforcing elements between and connected with the bearings and spring plank body.

4. As an article of manufacture, an integral spring plank unit for car trucks, comprising an elongated beam casting having a spring supporting plate integrally formed at its end portion and spaced above the body of the plank, and integral spring retaining lugs upstanding from said plate at the sides thereof.

5. As an article of manufacture, an integral spring plank unit for car trucks, comprising an elongated beam casting having a spring supporting plate integrally formed at its end portion and spaced above said beam, and a depending bearing integrally formed with and spaced below said beam.

6. A spring plank for car trucks, comprising a body member, a spring supporting seat member at its end, integral ribs spacing the seat member above the body member, and integral lugs upstanding from said seat member at the sides thereof.

7. A spring plank for car trucks, comprising a body member, a bearing member, and ribs spacing said bearing member below said body member.

8. A spring plank for car trucks, comprising a body member having side flanges adjacent its end, a spring seat member positioned between and connected with said flanges, and spring retaining lugs integral with said flanges and extending above said seat member.

9. A spring plank for car trucks comprising a body member having downwardly ex tending side flanges, and a bearing member connected to said flanges below the body and having its axis disposed transversely to the length of the body member.

10. A spring plank for car trucks comprising a body member having downwardly extending side flanges, a bearing member connected to said flanges and having its axis disposed transversely to the length of the body member, and intermediate ribs extending between and connected to said body member and said bearing member.

11. As an article of manufacture, an inprising an elongated beam casting having a bearing integrally formed on its under side adjacent each end, a spring supporting plate integrally formed adjacent each end portion and spaced above said beam, and side flanges integral with said beam casting, bearing and plate, and extending above said plate.

14:. In a one-piece spring plank for railway trucks, the combination of a spring plank body, a spring seat member positioned above said body and integrally connected therewith adjacent the end, a bearing member spaced below said body, integral flanges at the side of said body having upward extensions integrally connected with the seat member and extending thereabove, and downward extensions integrally connected with said bearmg.

In Witness that I claim theforegoing I tegral spring plank unit for car trucks, com- 

